Here’s the deal: Action needed NOW to increase school funding!

The Texas House on August 7 overwhelmingly approved a school-finance package that would inject $1.9 billion into school districts’ budgets across the state over the next two years. The House package–HB 21, HB 30, and HB 23–passed 130 to 13, 131 to 13, and 144 to 0. This legislation would take a significant first step toward the long-term boost in state funding our schools desperately need. The Senate in SB 16 meanwhile has called instead for a commission to study and fully redesign Texas school finance.

This situation contains the makings of a deal on school funding. The Senate should accept the House package as the short-term fix we need for the next two years. The House should accept the Senate’s call for a school-finance commission to develop a long-term redesign of school finance before the 2019 legislative session.

A deal between the two chambers is still possible before the special legislative session ends on August 16. The House has expressed its readiness to accept the short-term/long-term deal described above. But your senator needs to get on the same page.

Texas AFT represents all non-administrative certified and classified public school employees. We represent the interests of teachers, counselors, librarians, diagnosticians, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, nurses, teaching assistants, clerical employees, and the other men and women who work so hard to make our schools work. We also represent employees in universities, colleges and community and junior colleges.